THERE'S A SPIRITUAL HUNGER OUT THERE...

PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.

Announcer: COMING UP, AUTHOR AND SPEAKER,

RAVI ZACHARIAS HELPS US REDISCOVER GOD'S TRUTH

IN AN AGE OF MASS-MARKETED SPIRITUALITY.

AVATAR AND THESE MOVIES THAT COME OUT,

WHICH SEEM TO BLEND MYTHS WITH SPIRITUAL RITUALS

AND ALL OF THAT,

BOTTOM LINE IS IT MAKES YOU GOD.

James: WOW!

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

WELCOME TO LIFE TODAY!

I'M JAMES ROBISON.

BETTY AND I ARE THRILLED

TO HAVE RAVI ZACHARIAS WITH US.

RAVI WROTE A BOOK SOME TIME AGO

THAT HAS BEEN SO POPULAR,

HAS CHRISTIANITY FAILED YOU?

WE TALKED ABOUT IT

ON AN EARLIER PROGRAM THIS WEEK

AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS

PEOPLE ASK THAT MUCH

OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

SEEMS TO BE AFRAID

TO EVEN FACE OR ANSWER --

GREAT, GREAT ANSWERS.

YOU CAN GO TO LIFETODAY.ORG

AND GO BACK AND WATCH

THAT PROGRAM ONLINE.

YOU CAN DO THAT ANY TIME.

I KNOW A LOT OF YOU D.V.R.

YOU TAPE THE PROGRAM

SO YOU CAN WATCH IT

ON YOUR SCHEDULE.

WE COME ON ALL THROUGH THE DAY.

BETTY, WE START TRYING TO

GET THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING

ON A.B.C. FAMILY, AND THEN

ON DISCOVERY, THEN ON ALL

THE INSPIRATIONAL NETWORKS,

AND MANY OF THE INDEPENDENT

NETWORKS WE'RE ON,

THE GOVERNMENT NETWORKS,

BOTH TWO NETWORKS IN AUSTRALIA

AND ALL OVER THE WORLD

YOU CAN FIND US.

BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE,

LIFETODAY.ORG,

GO BACK AND LISTEN

TO ANY OF THE PROGRAMS.

RAVI IS GOING TO TELL US

ABOUT A NEW BOOK

THAT IS ABOUT TO COME OUT

AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW.

WOULD YOU WELCOME RAVI ZACHARIAS

TO LIFE TODAY?

[Applause]

RAVI, I WOULD --

YOU KNOW, JUST ASSUME

THAT YOU COME HERE FREQUENTLY

TO HELP MY PEOPLE THINK,

GOD'S PEOPLE,

BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST

ON YOUR RADIO PROGRAM,

EVERYWHERE YOU GO AND LECTURE,

ALL THE PLACES YOU SPEAK.

BUT YOU'VE GOT A NEW BOOK.

WHAT'S THE TITLE?

Ravi: IT'S A BOOK THAT

I THINK I HAVE LABORED MORE

THAN ANY OTHER BOOK

I HAVE EVER RESEARCHED

OR WRITTEN.

AND MY WIFE IS MY EDITOR --

FROM THE DAY WE MET

SHE HAS HAD THE LAST WORD

ON EVERYTHING --

[Laughter]

SO SHE'LL BE EDITING MY BOOKS

AS WELL,

AND DOES A BRILLIANT JOB AT IT.

I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME

TO MENTION IT

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS

AN EASILY REPEATABLE TITLE.

THE MAIN TITLE IS --

ACTUALLY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU

I WANTED TO CALL IT

FROM OPRAH TO CHOPRA

BUT THE PUBLISHER

DIDN'T GO FOR IT.

[Laughter]

BUT I'VE CALLED IT,

WHY JESUS: REDISCOVERING

HIS TRUTH IN AN AGE OF

MASS-MARKETED SPIRITUALITY.

James: THE MAIN TITLE,

WHY JESUS?

Ravi: AND UNDERNEATH,

THE BIG SUBHEADING OR SUBTITLE,

WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CALL IT,

IS: REDISCOVERING HIS TRUTH

IN AN AGE OF MASS-MARKETED

SPIRITUALITY.

IT CAPTURES THIS

NEW SPIRITUALITY

AND ALL OF ITS RAMIFICATIONS.

GOING BACK TO ITS ROOTS

FROM THE GREEK THINKERS

TO THE HINDU THINKERS,

FROM HINDUISM, BUDDHISM,

TAOISM, ZEN AND ALL OF THAT

TO THE MODERN EXPONENTS OF IT,

WHETHER IT IS SAKAR TOLI,

OR GARY ZUKAV,

OR MARIANNE WILLIAMSON;

THE NEW, WHAT I CALL

WII-STERN'S SPIRITUALITY.

THAT'S USING TERMS LIKE MANTRA,

TANTRA, CHAKRA, AND ALL OF THIS,

MOST OF WHICH IS BIG

ON MARKETING BUT THEY'VE NEVER

REALLY PLUMBED THE DEPTHS

OF WHAT THE METAPHYSICS IS

BEHIND ALL OF THIS.

THEY BUY INTO A WORLDVIEW

THAT SUBSCRIBES

TO THE CYCLICALITY OF HISTORY,

THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF LIFE,

AND KARMA AND ALL OF THAT

THAT IS INVOLVED,

AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS,

IT IS AN EFFORT TO BE SPIRITUAL

WITHOUT GOD.

James: AND THAT IS PRECISELY --

AND THERE'S A CERTAIN AIR

OF PRIDE THAT "WE ARE SPIRITUAL.

AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE

THERE IS A GREATER POWER."

THEY EVEN SOUND

A LITTLE BIT LIKE CHURCH FOLKS

WHEN THEY DO IT.

[Laughter]

THERE IS SOMETHING THERE

THAT SATISFIES TO A DEGREE

BUT LEAVES THE VACUUM

AND THE EMPTINESS.

DON'T YOU PERCEIVE

THAT IT IS STILL THERE?

Ravi: WHAT IS FASCINATING

ABOUT IT, JAMES AND BETTY,

LAST NOVEMBER I WAS IN BOMBAY,

IT USED TO BE CALLED BOMBAY,

NOW IT IS MUMBAI; POLITICIANS

HAVE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO

IN RENAMING CITIES

SO IT IS NOW CALLED MUMBAI.

[Laughter]

WHAT WAS FASCINATING TO ME,

I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK

TO THE BOLLYWOOD GROUP,

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES,

AND TO THE BIGGEST FILM ACADEMY

IN ASIA IN MUMBAI

WHERE I ADDRESSED THE STUDENTS

AND FACULTY ON THE SUBJECT:

LIFE BEYOND THE BOX OFFICE --

AND THEY GAVE ME

THAT SUBJECT TO SPEAK ON.

THE INTERESTING THING IS,

IT IS LIKE GOING INTO

A WESTERN SPA

AND SEEING ALL EASTERN PRODUCTS:

GOING TO AN EASTERN SPA

AND SEEING ALL WESTERN PRODUCTS.

[Laughter]

IT IS THE MORE FOREIGN SOUNDING

THE MORE ESOTERIC IT IS,

AND THE LESS

YOU REALLY HAVE TO KNOW

BUT SOUND MORE CONVINCING

IN THE PROCESS.

THIS IS REALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING

WITH SPIRITUALITY.

WE ARE BORROWING IDEAS

THAT ARE UNEXAMINED,

IDEAS THAT -- YOU KNOW

YOU TALK ABOUT A HIGHER POWER

WHEN REALLY, YEAH,

IT IS LITTLE BIT LIKE AVATAR

AND THESE MOVIES THAT COME OUT,

WHICH SEEM TO BLEND MYTH

WITH SPIRITUAL RITUALS

AND ALL OF THAT.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS

IT MAKES YOU GOD

AND THAT'S REALLY

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

BUT IT TAKES ON TORTUROUS TURNS,

DEEPAK CHOPRA'S BOOK,

THE THIRD JESUS, WHICH IS

A PATHETIC BOOK ACTUALLY.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY HE EVEN

-- WELL, I THINK I KNOW

WHY HE WROTE IT

BUT IT IS VERY POORLY DONE.

CHOPRA SAYS THERE ARE

ACTUALLY THREE JESUSES.

THE FIRST JESUS IS

THE JESUS OF HISTORY, SAYS HE,

ABOUT WHOM WE KNOW NOTHING.

THE SECOND JESUS,

THE JESUS MANUFACTURED

BY THE EARLY CHURCH,

THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION JESUS

AND ALL OF THAT.

THE THIRD JESUS HE GIVES TO US

IS THE ONE WHO WAS ON

THIS PILGRIMAGE TO ULTIMATELY

FIND ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA,

AND THAT'S THE JESUS

HE WANTS TO GIVE TO US.

NOW HOW DOES HE SUSTAIN

THIS THIRD OPTION?

BY SCORES OF QUOTES AND VERSES

THAT HE BORROWS

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT.

BUT HE'S ALREADY TOLD US

THAT'S HISTORICALLY UNRELIABLE.

SO HE GOES BACK

TO THE VERY SOURCE

TO SUSTAIN THIS --

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL OF THIS?

[Laughter]

WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?

SO I'VE DEALT VERY HEAVILY

WITH CHOPRA'S PHILOSOPHY.

WHICH AGAIN, THEY'RE VERY CLEVER

-- VERY CLEVER.

THEY DON'T LIKE

TO CALL THEMSELVES ANYTHING.

CHOPRA WON'T CALL HIMSELF

A HINDU.

HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF

AS THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INDIAN

IN THE AUDIENCE,

AS SANATAN DHARMA,

WHICH IS THE ETERNAL RELIGION,

THE PURE RELIGION.

THIS WAY

YOU CAN'T ATTACK ANYTHING!

THERE IS NO WORLDVIEW.

WHO IS GOING TO TALK

ABOUT SANATAN DHARMA OUT HERE?

[Laughter]

BUT IF YOU TALK ABOUT

SOME OTHER CLASSIC RELIGION --

VERY CLEVER, JAMES,

WHAT'S GOING ON... VERY CLEVER.

AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE

THE TERRORIST

WHO DOESN'T WANT ANY NATION

TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH.

SO THIS RELIGION

THAT DIDN'T WANT TO IDENTIFY

WITH ANYTHING BUT HIS ECLECTIC

PICKING FROM HERE AND THERE.

ALL THAT TO SAY

THERE IS A SPIRITUAL HUNGER

OUT THERE... PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.

THEY REALLY ARE EMPTY

WITHIN THEMSELVES

AND IT IS TO THAT AUDIENCE

THAT I HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK.

MY WIFE READ THE FIRST CHAPTER,

I WAS IN THAILAND WRITING IT

AND I SENT IT TO HER BY E-MAIL.

AND SHE WROTE BACK;

SHE SAID, "ALL I CAN SAY

AFTER READING THIS FIRST CHAPTER

IS HOW BEAUTIFUL THE GOSPEL

IS GOING TO LOOK IN THE END."

I THINK THAT'S THE CONTRAST

THAT COMES THROUGH.

James: THE TITLE

OF THE BOOK AGAIN.

Ravi: WHY JESUS?

James: WHY JESUS?

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT.

BY THE WAY,

THERE IS RAVI'S WEB SITE.

EVERYTHING HE'S WRITTEN,

HIS SCHEDULE;

I'VE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED

YOU GET THE LECTURES AT HARVARD,

THERE ARE PERHAPS

OTHER UNIVERSITIES, OTHER EVENTS

THAT HE WOULD RECOMMEND.

IT IS TOTALLY CAPTIVATING

BECAUSE HE DOES REALLY

CHALLENGE OUR THINKING

IN A WAY THAT EDIFIES,

IT BUILDS YOU UP;

IT DOESN'T TEAR YOU DOWN,

DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU'RE NOT THINKING STRAIGHT,

IT STRAIGHTENS THE THINKING,

AS YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN,

I BELIEVE, STIRRED

AND STIMULATED IN YOUR THINKING.

RAVI, LET ME JUST ASK YOU

A COUPLE OF THINGS

THAT ARE A CONCERN TO ME.

ONE OF THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE

HAVE THIS SPIRITUAL --

THERE IS A SPIRITUAL HUNGER.

ONE OF THE REASONS

THEY'RE LOOKING

IN ALL THESE FOOLISH VENUES IS

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO PROFESS

TO KNOW THE TRUE CHRIST,

WHO CLAIM TO BELIEVE THE BIBLE

TO BE THE WORD OF GOD,

OFTENTIMES ARE THE POOREST

DEMONSTRATIONS OF

THE TRANSFORMING POWER

OF THE GRACE

AND PERSON THEY PROFESS.

THIS IS TRAGIC.

THEY'RE NOT LIVING AS THOUGH

THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP

AND I FEAR MANY OF THEM DON'T,

THEY HAVE SIMPLY JOINED

SOMETHING WITHOUT EVER COMING

INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

SO ALTHOUGH THE MEDIA

AND THESE THINKERS

AND THESE PEOPLE

WHO SKEW THE TRUTH AND TWIST IT

AND APPEAL TO THE INNER DESIRE

TO HAVE SPIRITUAL ANSWERS,

THE REASON THEY'RE EFFECTIVE

IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FAILED

TO BE THE DEMONSTRATION

OF THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

WHILE PROCLAIMING IT,

NOT DEMONSTRATING.

WOULD YOU AGREE?

Ravi: ONE OF THE GREAT

WRITERS IN ENGLAND,

BY THE LAST NAME OF WILSON,

HE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO,

WALKED AWAY FROM THE FAITH.

MANY, MANY YEARS AGO,

AND JUST DISAVOWED IT,

AND TORE INTO C.S. LEWIS,

TORE INTO THE APOLOGISTS,

WROTE PROLIFICALLY.

TWO YEARS AGO IN APRIL

HE WALKED INTO A CHURCH

ON AN EASTER SUNDAY

AND HE TURNED HIS LIFE

BACK TO THE LORD

IN A REMARKABLE

CONVERSION EXPERIENCE.

WHAT HE DESCRIBED

AS ONE OF THE REASONS

WAS THE HOLLOWNESS OUT THERE;

WHAT HE SAW WITH THIS MINDSET

CREATED BY SECULARISM TO BOOST

YOUR EGO AND MAKE YOU THINK

YOU DIDN'T NEED GOD,

BUT THEN TO COME INTO

A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME

HE BEGAN TO SEE CHRIST REFLECTED

IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

ONCE HE SAW THAT,

IT TURNED OUT TO BE

THE CLINCHER FOR HIM.

SO I THINK THE WHOLE --

A.N. WILSON IS THE NAME,

IF YOU GOOGLE HIS NAME,

A.N. WILSON CONVERSION;

HIS WHOLE STORY IS GIVEN THERE

AND IT WAS GIVEN IN THE GUARDIAN

AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.

YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

IF PEOPLE SEE

THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST IN YOU,

EVEN IF THEY DON'T

AGREE WITH YOU,

THEY'LL BE DRAWN TO WHAT

IT IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT

TO ALSO BE ABLE

TO LISTEN TO OTHERS,

WHAT IT IS THEY BELIEVE,

WHY THEY BELIEVE IT,

AND TO BE ABLE TO INTELLIGENTLY

INTERACT WITH THEM.

WE DO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

A DISSERVICE WHEN WE

SEND THEM OUT ILL-EQUIPPED

IN THIS SO IT IS A COMBINATION

OF GOOD LISTENING

AND UNDERSTANDING,

AND GOOD AND DECENT LIVING.

IF I WERE TO SAY WHAT IS

THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION

IN APOLOGETICS FOR ME

IT IS THIS --

AND I ALWAYS HESITATE

TO MENTION IT

BECAUSE PEOPLE THEN WANT TO KNOW

WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO IT.

[Laughter]

BUT IT IS THIS:

WE ARE THE ONLY ONES

WHO CLAIM A SUPERNATURAL REASON

FOR THE CHANGE IN OUR LIVES.

THE NEW BIRTH IS SUPERNATURAL;

IT IS NOT BY WILL POWER.

EVERY OTHER MAJOR WORLDVIEW

IS BY THE WILL AND WORKS.

WE'RE THE ONLY ONES

WHO SAY THE TRANSFORMATION

IS SUPERNATURALLY ENGENDERED.

IF THAT CLAIM IS REAL,

THEN THE QUESTION IS,

WHY DO SO FEW PEOPLE

ACTUALLY SHOW IT?

THAT, I THINK,

IS THE BIGGEST APOLOGETIC

STUMBLING BLOCK

TO MOST SKEPTICS.

James: MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS

THAT THERE IS SO MANY PEOPLE

WHO REALLY DID GET CONNECTED

TO RELIGION AND MISSED CHRIST.

I DON'T THINK IT IS

A CHEAPENING OF THE GOSPEL,

I THINK THIS IS THE THING

THAT RESONATES WITH WHAT

YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO,

AND I'VE SAID THIS

MANY TIMES TO PEOPLE.

IF YOU HAVE EVER MET A PERSON

IN WHOSE LIFE JESUS IS REAL,

THAT IS AN UNFORGETTABLE

EXPERIENCE.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN

IN THE MISSIONARIES

AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

RAVI, THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN

IN JUST PEOPLE WHO WOULD

CONSIDER THEM TOTALLY ORDINARY

WHO MAKE POSSIBLE WHAT WE DO.

YOUR DAUGHTER TAUGHT SO MUCH

ABOUT HELPING RESCUE PEOPLE

WHO ARE TRAPPED.

SHE BLESSED US SO MUCH.

YOU COULDN'T DO THAT

WERE IT NOT FOR PEOPLE

WHO WERE SENSITIVE,

WHO GOT OUTSIDE OF THEIR WORLD,

CAUGHT THE VISION

OF WHAT GOD SEES,

AND PIERCE THE DARKNESS.

THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE --

I BELIEVE

WE'RE LIVING IN THE DAY

FOR THE GREATEST AWAKENING

IN HISTORY,

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

TO LITERALLY COME ON HIS PEOPLE

BEFORE HE COMES IN GLORY

FOR HIS PEOPLE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT.

DO YOU SENSE THAT MOVE

ALL OVER THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?

Ravi: A COUPLE THINGS HERE,

I WAS IN MOSCOW LAST WEEK

BEFORE COMING HERE;

I WAS IN CHINA

THE WEEK BEFORE THAT.

THERE'S A LOT I COULD SAY

BUT I WON'T.

BUT LET ME JUST SAY

ABOUT MOSCOW,

THERE WERE OVER 1200 PEOPLE

SITTING IN FRONT OF ME

IN THAT AUDITORIUM PACKED

AND THE BISHOP WHO INTRODUCED ME

SAID, "IT WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO

WHERE IF HE HAD COME INTO MOSCOW

THE ONLY LIBRARY,

THE ONLY BIBLE

HE WOULD HAVE SEEN HERE

WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A MUSEUM."

HE SAID, "TODAY THERE ARE OVER

1,000 BIBLES IN THIS

AUDITORIUM HERE."

AND THE AUDITORIUM --

AND THE PEOPLE JUST BURST OUT

IN APPLAUSE.

THE THINGS I COULD TELL YOU

ABOUT ONE OR TWO COUNTRIES

BUT I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO DO SO

FOR OBVIOUS REASONS,

WHAT GOD IS DOING IS ABSOLUTELY

REMARKABLE GLOBALLY, JAMES.

BUT THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT LINK

I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON.

DR. NORMAN GEISLER

WHO TAUGHT HERE FOR SOME TIME,

I'M SURE -- HE WAS MY PROFESSOR

IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

WHEN I RAISED THE QUESTION

ABOUT WHY IT IS NOT OFTEN

REFLECTED IN OUR LIVING,

DR. GEISLER GAVE

A VERY PROFOUND ANSWER TO ME.

HE SAID, "RAVI,

WHEN A BABY IS BORN, IF YOU

THROW THAT BABY INTO A DESERT

AND DON'T FEED THAT BABY,

THAT BABY WILL BECOME

MALNOURISHED."

HE SAID, "THE CHALLENGE

TO YOUR QUESTION IS THIS,

THE CHURCH NEEDS TO FEED

ITS NEWBORNS MORE,

AND WE AS CHRISTIANS

NEED TO BE FED MORE

ONLY THEN WILL WE MATURE AND

BLOSSOM INTO THE FULL STATURE."

SO THIS IS A CHALLENGE

TO THE CHURCH.

YOU SEE WHAT YOU WIN THEM WITH

IS WHAT YOU WIN THEM TO.

AND WHAT WE ARE

WINNING THEM WITH TODAY

IS REALLY THE SHALLOWER STUFF --

AS GOOD AS IT IS --

BUT YOU CAN'T WADE

IN THE SHALLOW ALL YOUR LIFE.

THE GOSPEL IS REFLECTING

A LITTLE CHILD

BUT IT IS ALSO REFLECTED

IN THE MIND OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

OR A MOSES.

HE IS ABLE TO MEET

THE LEAST AMONG US

TO THE MOST SOPHISTICATED

BECAUSE IT IS BOTH SIMPLE

AND SUBLIME.

I THINK WE NEED TO GROW

INTO THAT SUBLIMITY.

James: WOULD YOU JOIN

BETTY AND ME IN JUST

SAYING THANK YOU FOR RAVI

FOR JUST BEING

THE INSPIRATION THAT YOU ARE!

[Applause]

THIS BOOK IS ALREADY

IN THE BOOKSTORES.

AND RAVI'S NEW BOOK, WHY JESUS?

IS IN THE BOOKSTORES

AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY

TO SEND IT TO YOU

IF YOU'LL SIMPLY DO

WHAT JESUS SAID IS

SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT --

MORE IMPORTANT THAN A FEW WORDS

COULD EVER POSSIBLY,

ADQUATELY EXPLAIN.

BUT JESUS SAID IF YOU WILL GIVE

JUST A CUP OF WATER IN MY NAME

YOU WILL NOT LOSE YOUR REWARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS

TRIED TO COMMUNICATE

TO OUR VIEWERS AND TO PEOPLE

EVERYWHERE I SPEAK IS THAT

IF YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND

THE HEART OF GOD,

WE UNDERSTAND SOWING

AND REAPING, IT'S MORE BLESSED

TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE

BUT BE SURE YOU GRASP

THAT WE KNOW WHEN WE RELEASE

A BLESSING WE'RE GOING

TO BE BLESSED,

DON'T AUTOMATICALLY START

TRYING TO LIST THOSE BLESSINGS

THAT YOU EXPECT IN RETURN FOR

WHAT YOU JUST SOLD OR GAVE.

BUT LOOK AT WHAT YOUR LOVE GIFT

AND THAT LOVE EXPRESSION

IS GOING TO DO,

WHY JESUS, AS RAVI TALKS ABOUT,

JESUS CAME TO GIVE LIFE

AND TO GIVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY,

WHICH IS BEYOND ANYTHING

YOU COULD EVEN FATHOM

IN THE MATERIAL

OR EVEN MONEARY REALM.

IF YOU GIVE A CUP OF WATER,

YOU WILL NOT LOSE THE BLESSING,

THE BENEFIT, AND THE REWARD

THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU.

I WANT YOU WATCH THIS CLOSELY.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME

SERIOUS NEEDS THAT WE'VE LOOKED

AT FAR TOO OFTEN BUT WE KNOW

WE'VE GOT THE ANSWER.

TOGETHER, WE REALLY DO HAVE

THE SOLUTION.

Announcer: THIS IS ELIZABETH.

SHE IS A MOTHER OF FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN

INCLUDING TWIN BABY BOYS.

SHE IS AMONG THE COUNTLESS MOTHERS IN CENTRAL AMERICA

LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY.

HER HOME IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN A BARN

WITH SCRAP WOOD WALLS AND DIRT FLOORS.

AS SHE STRUGGLES TO CARE FOR HER CHILDREN EVERY DAY,

TWICE A DAY, SHE WALKS TO COLLECT THE WATER

HER FAMILY NEEDS TO SURVIVE.

BUT THIS IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF WATER AVAILABLE TO ELIZABETH.

THIS DIRTY MUDDY RIVER PROVIDES THE WATER

THAT COULD EVENTUALLY KILL HER CHILDREN.

Translator: MY TWINS HAVE BEEN SICK FOR A WEEK

WITH FEVER AND DIARRHEA BECAUSE OF THIS WATER.

I FEEL BAD BUT I HAVE TO GIVE IT TO MY CHILDREN.

I KNOW THE WATER IS CONTAMINATED AND WE SHOULDN'T DRINK IT

BUT I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

THIS IS ALL WE HAVE.

James: ELIZABETH REPRESENTS

SO MANY MOTHERS,

SO MANY FAMILIES,

CHILDREN IN DESPERATE NEED.

AS WE TOGETHER WATCHED HER

WALK DOWN TO THAT DIRTY

WATER SOURCE, CONTAMINATED,

FILTHY, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN WANT

TO HEAR ALL THE THINGS

THAT FLUSH IN AND ARE WASHED IN

AND THE ANIMAL WASTE

THAT IS THERE.

BUT THE CONTAMINATION

AND THE BACTERIA CAUSES

ALL TYPES OF PAINFUL

AND DEADLY DISEASES.

HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN

BECAUSE OF YOU.

I REALLY HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND

HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US

SHARE THE LOVE OF GOD

WITH PEOPLE IN DESPERATE NEED

LIKE ELIZABETH AND HER FAMILY.

WE ARE ABLE TO PUT

A FRESH WATER SOURCE

RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF THAT PAIN

AND THAT SUFFERING --

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE

OF A LITTLE VILLAGE.

WE WENT IN SOME OF THE SAME AREA

THERE, BETTY AND I DID,

AND IT WAS LIKE

THEY HAD A PARTY.

WHEN WE WENT THERE IT WAS

VERY HOT AND THEY TOLD

THE CHILDREN THAT

THE MISSIONARIES AND THE PEOPLE

THAT HAD PUT THE WELL THERE

WERE COMING AND THEY LET

THOSE CHILDREN PLAY IN IT,

IT WAS LIKE A PARTY.

THEY DON'T NORMALLY ALLOW THEM

TO DO THAT BECAUSE EVEN THAT

WATER IS SO PRECIOUS.

BUT THEY WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN

AND THEY WERE SAYING

NOT ONLY, "THANK YOU, JAMES

AND BETTY," THEY WERE SAYING,

"THANK YOU."

I PRAY YOU HEAR THAT.

BUT JUST THINK ABOUT IT,

THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING

TO CONTAMINATED WATER,

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WATER

TO EVEN LIVE AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY

TAKING IN SOMETHING THAT

CREATES A PAINFUL DISEASE

AND OFTENTIMES A PAINFUL DEATH.

BUT WE'RE REPLACING THAT

WITH HOPE AND HEALTH

AND WE WILL CLEARLY POINT THEM

TO THE LORD JESUS.

WOULD YOU DIAL THAT NUMBER?

WOULD YOU TAKE YOUR BANKCARD

AND MAKE THE GREATEST LOVE GIFT

YOU CAN?

IF YOU COULD GIVE $48

YOU'LL GIVE TEN PEOPLE WATER,

BASICALLY FOR THE REST

OF THEIR LIFE.

YOU CAN GIVE HOPE IN A VILLAGE

LIKE YOU JUST SAW.

A GIFT OF $144 -- AND SEE THIS

IS ATTAINABLE FOR MOST PEOPLE.

WE CAN DO THIS!

SURE, IT MAY BE A SACRIFICE

BUT IT'S GOING TO GIVE SUCH

AN INCREDIBLE, INDESCRIBABLE

LASTING BLESSING.

THAT $144 WILL GIVE 30 PEOPLE

WATER THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

$4800 IS WHAT IT TAKES

FOR A WELL.

I'VE BEEN PRAYING THAT SCORES

OF PEOPLE WOULD CALL

IN A SINGLE DAY AND SAY,

"WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU

DRILL THOSE HUNDREDS OF WELLS.

WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL

BE GIVING TO TAKE CARE OF 10

OR 30 BUT WE CAN GIVE A WELL.

AND AS A COUPLE

OR AN INDIVIDUAL

I WANT TO DO THAT" --

AS A SMALL BUSINESS PERHAPS.

WOULD YOU DO IT IF YOU CAN?

COULD YOU DRILL SEVERAL?

MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT

IF I GIVE A GIFT OF $2400

AND PRAY FOR SOMEONE TO JOIN ME

WE'VE GOT A WELL

OR $1200 AND WE'VE THREE OTHERS

JOIN AND WE'VE GOT ANOTHER WELL.

AT WHATEVER LEVEL YOU CAN HELP,

PLEASE DO SO.

WOULD YOU GO TO THE PHONE

RIGHT NOW?

IT'S SO EASY TO SAY,

WELL, I INTEND TO DO IT.

IT'S SO EASY TO FAIL TO DO IT.

AND THESE PRECIOUS

PEOPLE'S LIVES DEPEND ON IT.

WOULD YOU MAKE THAT CALL?

YOU CAN GO ONLINE LIFETODAY.ORG

AND MAKE THE GIFT.

YOU CAN MAKE A CHECK,

MAKE IT TO LIFE.

WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL GIFTS

THAT WE WANT TO SEND YOU.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS,

BELIEVE THIS... THE TRUTH,

...NOT THAT, THE LIES.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE

THESE SCRIPTURAL ANSWERS

TO WHAT THE ENEMY SAYS.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO BLESS YOU

AS YOU HELP US BLESS OTHERS

WITH THE TRUE SOURCE OF LIFE

BECAUSE WE FOUND LIFE

THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CALL.

Announcer: EVERY DAY MILLIONS OF CHILDREN ARE FORCED

TO MAKE A DREADFUL CHOICE: DRINK FILTHY, POLLUTED WATER

FILLED WITH DEADLY DISEASE OR DIE FROM THIRST.

NO CHILD SHOULD EVER BE FACED WITH THIS DECISION.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION --

MISSION: WATER FOR LIFE IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING

AND VIABLE DEMONSTRATIONS OF GOD'S LOVE IN THE WORLD TODAY.

SUFFERING CAN END BECAUSE CLEAN WATER CHANGES EVERYTHING!

WITH YOUR GIFT TODAY WE WILL BEGIN DRILLING

350 NEW WATER WELLS FOR REMOTE VILLAGES IN 12 DIFFERENT NATIONS.

YOUR GIFT OF $24 WILL HELP PROVIDE CLEAN WATER FOR FIVE PEOPLE!

A GIFT OF $48 WILL HELP PROVIDE FOR 10 PEOPLE!

$72 WILL IMPACT 15 PEOPLE.

AND $144 WILL HELP PROVIDE FRESH, CLEAN DISEASE-FREE WATER

FOR 30 PEOPLE FOR A LIFETIME!

WITH YOUR GIFT BE SURE TO REQUEST, BELIEVE THIS NOT THAT

A BRAND-NEW TOPICAL BIBLE PROMISE BOOK

THAT WILL ENCOURAGE YOU IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE.

WITH YOUR GIFT OF $100 OR MORE

YOU MAY REQUEST OUR NEWLY RELEASED WATER FOR LIFE MUG SET,

A DAILY REMINDER OF THE CLEAN WATER

YOU MAKE POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO THIRST.

ALSO PLEASE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER A GIFT OF $1200

TO HELP PROVIDE WATER FOR 250 PEOPLE

OR A GIFT OF $4800 TO HELP SPONSOR A COMPLETE WELL.

AND BE SURE TO REQUEST THE 2012 COMMEMORATIVE BRONZE SCULPTURE,

"THE LAMB AND THE LION."

PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR MAKE YOUR SECURE GIFT ONLINE TODAY!

James: I'M KNEELING DOWN HERE BY WHAT IS A COMMON WATER SOURCE

FOR LITTLE VILLAGE AREAS.

THIS RIVER MEANDERS THROUGH THIS PART OF CENTRAL AMERICA.

IT'S THE WATER SOURCE.

IT'S CONTAMINATED WITH ANIMAL WASTE.

IT IS CONTAMINATED WITH HUMAN WASTE

BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SEWAGE.

THEY HAVE NO RUNNING WATER SO THEY GO TO THE BATHROOM

OUT HERE IN THE BUSH AND THE BRUSH AND THEN IT WASHES HERE.

AND PEOPLE GET ALL KINDS OF INTESTINAL DISEASES.

AND CLEAN WATER, FRESH WATER, THAT'S THE ANSWER.

THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE NOW --

MAKING THEM SICK, KILLING A LOT OF THEM VERY YOUNG.

BUT WE CAN GIVE THEM A FRESH WATER WELL.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE ONE OR GIVE TOWARD IT

OR GIVE A CUP OF WATER THAT ADDS UP AND BECOMES A WELL OF WATER.

BUT WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP.

MAKE A LIFE-GIVING CALL TODAY PLEASE.

James: I JUST SAY TO ALL OF YOU

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

BUT LET'S AGAIN

SAY THANKS TO RAVI.

RAVI, WE BLESS YOU, MAN!

ALL OVER THE WORLD -- THANK YOU!

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.

LET'S BE A LIGHT --

LET'S BE A WITNESS!

Announcer: FAITH, FAMILY, AND FREEDOM ARE UNDER ATTACK.

AS AMERICA FACES BATTLES WITHIN, MANY WONDER WHERE TO TURN.

IN THEIR NEW BOOK, JAMES ROBISON AND JAY RICHARDS

CALL US TO STAND TOGETHER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

AS ONE NATION TRULY UNDER GOD.

INDIVISIBLE -- COMING SOON TO ONLINE AND RETAIL BOOKSTORES.

Announcer: NEXT WEEK, AUTHOR FRANK TUREK,

ALONG WITH JAMES' AND BETTY'S SON, RANDY DISCUSS HOW BELIEVERS

EXPERIENCE MORE HAPPINESS THAN THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD.